BROKERS NEED TO KNOW
DECEMBER 2013
REALTOR® CODE OF ETHICS – UPDATED FOR 2014
NAR has just updated the REALTOR® Code of Ethics for 2014.
2014 marks the beginning of the second century of our COE as the
guiding document of the professional real estate broker.
Download the latest version of our bedrock document among the
supporting documents to this newsletter.
Also, download the oldest version of our bedrock document –
Ethics of the Real Estate Profession of the National Association of
Real Estate Exchanges (1913) – among the supporting documents to this newsletter.
REALTOR® CODE OF ETHICS – NOW ON VIDEO
To support REALTOR appreciation and understanding of our COE,
NAR has developed 15 short video segments on the REALTOR®
Code of Ethics covering the Preamble, Articles, and Standards of
Practice. Included are support material and questions to stimulate
discussion. Each segment is five to seven minutes long, available
24/7, and free of charge. These videos may be used to start to your weekly office meetings
or as part of other training.
Find them all online here:
http://www.realtor.org//videos/code-of-ethics-pathways-to-professionalism-video-series
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REALTOR CODE OF ETHICS – SUMMARY VIDEO
Washington REALTORS® has created a video to introduce you to
the full collection of NAR videos on the REALTOR® Code of Ethics.
Consider it an overview of the videos offered above and a good place
to start your video tour through the COE.
Watch the YouTube Video here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=tPERVdVI9V8
LEGAL HOTLINE VIDEO
Washington REALTORS® Legal Hotline Lawyer Annie
Fitzsimmons explains your minimum agency duty to protect the
home and owners possessions when you open a home to
prospective buyers and inspectors.
Watch the YouTube video online here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=1tA17TPfems
HEALTH INSURANCE: WHAT REALTORS® CAN DO TODAY
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) makes the purchase of health insurance
mandatory for everyone in the United States beginning January 2014.
NAR has created a new Topic Page for everything health insurance related
on REALTOR.org to help REALTORS® search for what meets their
individual or small business insurance needs. The page contains helpful
articles, infographics, and news related to the ever-changing insurance situation. Members can also
find links to the ACA webpage and to REALTORS® Insurance Marketplace, a new offering from the
REALTOR Benefits® Program.
The NAR Health Insurance Topic Page is online here:
http://www.realtor.org/topics/health-insurance
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MARKET STILL LOOKS GOOD
The total number of homes sold this year
will exceed 5,000 for the first time in six
years. That's one of the findings from local
MLS housing statistics collected by your SAR
and reported to local media.
Commenting on the local housing picture,
SAR Executive Vice President Rob Higgins
says the housing sector needs solid job
growth to bring yearly sales near the 6,000 mark.
See the complete article from the business section of The Spokesman-Review among the
supporting documents to this newsletter.
YOU BE THE JUDGE – DECEMBER
Here is the new You Be The Judge for December that offers a case
to test your judgment on the obligation to present subsequent
offers after an offer to purchase has been accepted by the seller.
Those who decide correctly will be entered in a drawing for a
Starbucks coffee card!
Winner to be announced next month.
Read the case and submit your judgment online here:
http://www.spokanerealtor.com/information-center/code-of-ethics-/you-be-the-judge
Congratulations Bart Cloninger, Windermere Manito, our November Starbucks card winner!
NOVEMBER ANSWER:
Case #1-13: Obligation to Present Subsequent Offers after an Offer to Purchase has been
Accepted by the Seller.
The Hearing Panel found REALTOR® A in violation of Article 1. In their "Findings of Fact and
Conclusions," the Hearing Panel cited REALTOR®A's lack of understanding of the requirements of
Article 1, as interpreted by Standard of Practice 1-7.
The panel noted that state law did not prohibit the presentation of offers after an offer had been
accepted by the seller; that the fact that the listing contract was silent on whether subsequent offers
would be presented did not relieve REALTOR® A from the obligation to present such offers; that as
the agent of the seller, REALTOR® A must always act in the seller's best interest and advise the
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seller of all offers submitted; and that should the seller wish to consider accepting a subsequent
offer, REALTOR® A must advise the seller to seek the advice of legal counsel.
Last month's case is online here:
http://www.spokanerealtor.com/information-center/code-of-ethics-/prior-month-you-be-the-judge
LISTHUB REPORT FOR NOVEMBER – NEW SERVICE!
ListHub allows offices to create a free account to manage the third party
websites your listings are distributed to automatically. The office can
subscribe to receive reports about what those sites are doing for their
listings, but the SAR receives a monthly overview.
At the start of each month, we will share these "filtered" reports to help you understand what
consumer traffic is doing in the Spokane market on these national websites.
Please note: the report includes listings and sites that are sent through ListHub. REALTOR®.com is
not powered by ListHub so is not currently ranked in these monthly reports.
The November ListHub report is included among the supporting documents to this
newsletter.
BURG BOOKS
Your SAR has limited quantities of Bob Burg's books for sale: Go Giver and
Go Givers Sell More and Endless Referrals.
These are $15 each and may be purchased at the SAR front desk.
Mr. Burg's books are easy reads, contain lots of good information and make great gifts for
colleagues or friends. First come, first served!
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NOVEMBER MARKET STATISTICS
Lockbox statistics
SAR members may access the latest Spokane area market statistics any time online here:
http://www.spokanerealtor.com/login.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=33
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